|
Type III HUNT-Class Escort Destroyer HMS ESKDALE was
ordered on 23rd August 1940
from Cammell Laird, Birkenhead under 1940 War
Emergency Programme. The ship was
laid down on 18th January 1941 as Job No J
3269 (Yard No 1080). She was
launched on 16th March 1942 as the first RN
ship to carry this name which is
that of a Cumberland fox-hunt. Build was
completed on 31st July 1942 and she
served under the command of the Royal
Norwegian Navy. The ship was
operationally deployed in an RN Flotilla.
After a successful WARSHIP
WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942
this destroyer was
adopted by the civil community of
Kendal, then in Westmorland, now in the county
of Cumbria.
B a t
t l e
H o n o
u r s
ARCTIC
1942
- ENGLISH CHANNEL 1942-44
H
e r a l d i
c D a t a
Badge:
On a Field
Red, a
caltrop White in front
of 2 hunting horns in saltire
gold.
D
e t a i l s o f
W a r S e r v i c e a
s H N o r M
S
E S K D A L E
(for more ship
information,
go
to
Naval History Homepage
and
type name in Site Search)
1
9 4 2
June
Transferred
to
Royal Norwegian Navy as replacement for the Ex
US Navy destroyer HMS NEWPORT
which was no longer
suitable for operational use.
Contractors
trials. Nominated for service in 1st
Destroyer Flotilla based at Portsmouth.
July
20th
- Commissioned for service with Norwegian
ship's company.
25th
- Build completion and commenced Acceptance
Trials.
Passage
to Scapa Flow on completion of trials and
storing.
August
Worked-up
for operational service at Scapa Flow with
Home Fleet.
Nominated
for escort of Russian convoy and detached for
Home Fleet duty.
September
2nd
- Joined HM
Destroyers CAMPBELL, MALCOLM and sister
destroyer FARNDALE as Local Escort
for Russian convoy PQ18 between Loch Ewe and
Iceland. (For details of
all Russian convoy operations see THE RUSSIAN
CONVOYS by B. Schofield CONVOY!
by P. Kemp, CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by RA Ruegg and
ARCTIC CONVOYS by R
Woodman. )
6th
- Detached
from PQ18 and took passage to Portsmouth..
8th
- Joined 1st Destroyer Flotilla for coastal
escort and patrol in English
Channel and North Sea.
October
13th
- Deployed
with sister Destroyers HMS COTTESMORE, QUORN,
ALBRIGHTON and
HNorMS GLAISDALE as Group A to intercept and
destroy German commerce raider KOMET. (Note:
This modem ship was known to be on passage to
the Atlantic for attacks on
shipping. Motor Torpedo Boats of Light Coastal
Forces were also
deployed as Groups B and C but owing to the
fast speed of the
enemy ship, only Group A was able to make
contact.
KOMET
was sunk by the combined fire of these ships.
For further
details in BATTLE OF THE NARROW SEAS by Peter
Scott.)
On
release from KOMET operation resumed convoy
defence duties with Flotilla.
November
Flotilla
convoy
defence duties in continuation.
12th
- Sustained serious damage to wheelhouse and
gunnery director in action off
Dieppe.
Returned to harbour using emergency steering..
15th
- Taken in hand for repair at Portsmouth.
under repair
December
Under
repair
1
9 4 3
January
Under
repair.
16th
- On
completion of repair rejoined Flotilla for
Channel convoy defence..
February
to March
Flotilla
deployment in continuation.
April
14th
- Joined sister-ship GLAISDALE and five
trawlers for escort of Channel Convoy PW232.
Under
attack 12 miles ENE of the Lizard by E-Boats
of 3rd German Flotilla. Hit
by two torpedoes fired by German S90 and
disabled. Sank in
position 50.03N, 05.46 W after hit by further
torpedo from S112.
Addendum
CONVOY
ESCORT MOVEMENTS
of HNorMS ESKDALE
by
Don Kindell
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date
convoy sailed
|
Joined
convoy as escort
|
Convoy
No.
|
Left
convoy
|
Date
convoy arrived
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
02/09/42
|
20/09/42
|
PQ
018
|
08/09/42
|
21/09/42
|
|
16/10/42
|
16/10/42
|
WP
234
|
19/10/42
|
19/10/42
|
|
25/10/42
|
02/11/42
|
KMS
002G
|
10/11/42
|
12/11/42
|
|
12/11/42
|
12/11/42
|
MKF
001X
|
18/11/42
|
19/11/42
|
|
20/02/43
|
20/02/43
|
PW
297
|
22/02/43
|
22/02/43
|
|
21/02/43
|
21/02/43
|
WP
298
|
23/02/43
|
23/02/43
|
|
24/02/43
|
24/02/43
|
PW
299
|
25/02/43
|
26/02/43
|
|
25/02/43
|
26/02/43
|
WP
300
|
26/02/43
|
27/02/43
|
|
13/03/43
|
13/03/43
|
WP
308
|
15/03/43
|
15/03/43
|
|
17/03/43
|
17/03/43
|
WP
310
|
19/03/43
|
19/03/43
|
|
20/03/43
|
20/03/43
|
PW
311
|
22/03/43
|
22/03/43
|
|
21/03/43
|
21/03/43
|
WP
312
|
23/03/43
|
23/03/43
|
|
24/03/43
|
24/03/43
|
PW
313
|
26/03/43
|
26/03/43
|
|
25/03/43
|
25/03/43
|
WP
314
|
27/03/43
|
27/03/43
|
|
29/03/43
|
29/03/43
|
WP
316
|
31/03/43
|
31/03/43
|
|
01/04/43
|
01/04/43
|
PW
317
|
03/04/43
|
03/04/43
|
|
02/04/43
|
02/04/43
|
WP
318
|
04/04/43
|
04/04/43
|
|
10/04/43
|
10/04/43
|
WP
322
|
12/04/43
|
12/04/43
|
|
09/04/43
|
10/04/43
|
PW
321
|
11/04/43
|
11/04/43
|
|
13/04/43
|
13/04/43
|
PW
323
|
15/04/43
|
15/04/43
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note
on Convoys)
|
